For 36 years, the people of Mississauga re-elected Hazel McCallion. They elected her despite Ms. McCallion’s staunch refusal to campaign, they elected her as the population tripled and they even elected her despite recent conflict of interest allegations. And they did not just elect her, they adored her: In 2011, as Montreal and Toronto began to turn dramatically against their own chief executives, a poll found Hazel McCallion to be the most popular mayor in Canada.
And now, with Mayor McCallion finally retired at the age of 93, the people of Mississauga have elected her chosen successor.
Bonnie Crombie was 18 when her predecessor was elected mayor of the 260,000 people in the rural suburb of Mississauga.
Now, the former Liberal MP and Mississauga city councilor is taking control of a budding metropolis of nearly 800,000.